‘Safe to eat eggs’ – Why the avian flu warning is fake news

South Africa is experiencing what is believed to be the worst outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) in six provinces. While consumers are worried about how safe it is to consume poultry products, experts caution that there is nothing to be concerned about.

It is safe to eat eggs despite the outbreak of avian flu among chickens in the country, says the CEO of the Egg Organisation at the SA Poultry Association.

Eggs are safe to eat, the CEO of the Egg Organisation at the SA Poultry Association, Dr Abongile Balarane, said on Thursday.

Balarane was reacting to WhatsApp and social media messages that were widely distributed this week following an outbreak of avian flu among chickens in South Africa. The messages warned that it was unsafe to eat eggs.

“It is safe to consume eggs,” Balarane said. “The current outbreak does not spread from chickens to humans. There are no reported cases of a spread to humans.”

He explained that avian influenza started among wild birds and was then transferred to chickens.

“There have been no reported cases of the spread of the virus from the egg-layer birds to humans. We, therefore, advise consumers that it is safe to consume eggs and poultry.

“Care should, however, be taken to handle eggs and meat hygienically and prevent cross-contamination, and ensure thorough cooking,” he said.

In an article published on Heath For Mzansi, Johannesburg-based registered dietitian Xoli Dube confirms that it is generally safe to consume properly cooked poultry products like chicken and eggs during a bird flu outbreak. Cooking poultry to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (until both the white and yolk are firm) kills the bird flu virus, if present, she shares.

Proper food handling and safety practices

It is, however important to follow proper food handling and safety practices such as:

• Thoroughly cooking poultry products to ensure they are safe to eat.
• Avoiding cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards and utensils for raw poultry and other foods.
• Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw poultry.
• Storing raw poultry and eggs properly in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth.

“Additionally, if there are specific advisories or guidelines from the department of health or the National Institute for Communicable Diseases regarding the consumption of poultry products during a bird flu outbreak, it’s important to follow them,” Dube says.

Egg shortages

Avian influenza, which is a highly contagious disease has also led to a spike in egg prices. Mbali Natali from KwaZulu-Natal has seen a significant price change and scarcity of eggs since she heard about the ongoing bird flu.

“I have no idea how to ensure the eggs and chicken I bought are safe; it’s just an assumption I have that if it’s in store, farmers must have checked their chickens or it was in stock before the outbreak. I am really scared now to purchase eggs or chicken,” she says.